3 Highlights:
1. Breakfast paid by an anonymous donor.
2. Generous woman in a coffee shop gave me $50.
3. Popcorn gifted by a Mountain Man participant (old school artisanal style).
Daily Summary:
– Distance hiked: 0 km
– Starting point: West Yellowstone
– Ending point: West Yellowstone
– Weather conditions: Mixed
Daily Reflections (challenges, insights, musings):
People in the US are incredibly generous. After a rough night in my tent, I went for a hot breakfast to cheer up. I ordered a breakfast burrito and cappuccino, followed by a regular coffee. When the check came, only the regular coffee was listed. It turned out that my breakfast had been paid for by an anonymous donor. Incredible!
Later, while contemplating my next steps after getting not-so-great Yellowstone permits (locations and dates that push me back a day), I went for another coffee. There, two men and a woman started chatting with me about hiking and life. The woman then insisted on giving me $50. I felt guilty but her friends encouraged me to accept it. Their kindness was overwhelming.
As I walked to a campsite, I passed a cafe and inquired about pitching my tent behind it. The lady there didn’t manage the campsite but she generously gave me a pack of banana bread stumps. I shared the bread with two hikers, Balm and Gallery, who I met just outside the cafe.
I finally snagged a campsite spot and met a group of hikers, although they were in their own little bubble. Then, another hiker and I had a nice chat about Colorado and how to reach the trail from Sweden. The campground folks told me about an event called Mountain Man nearby, featuring arts, crafts, and enough pelts to outfit a small militia.
As I prepared to leave, a popcorn vendor called me over, fascinated by my hiking tales. He gave me a bag of old-school popcorn, sugary and cheesy, which I devoured mostly by myself. Reflecting on the day, I wondered if I should have accepted that $50. I have money, and maybe someone else needed it more. But hey, I’ll just have to be extra generous moving forward. Balm and Gallery mentioned an alternate route through the Tetons, but it involves grizzly territory, no reliable maps, and a six-day food carry. I’ll sleep on it. Maybe. Probably not.
Crazy day, with sunshine and thunderstorms and insanely generous people.
